ISAC CONGRATULATES ILLINOIS HIGH SCHOOLS FOR EXCEPTIONAL SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS WITH FINANCIAL AID APPLICATIONS

539 High Schools Recognized and Awarded for Excellence

CHICAGO -The Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC), the state's college access and financial aid agency, is pleased to announce the 2026-27 Financial Aid Application Completion Recognition of Excellence Honorees. These Illinois public and private high schools have attained outstanding financial aid application completion rates-- demonstrating ongoing support for their students through the financial aid process. This recognition celebrates each school's dedication to helping students access financial aid to help them pursue their educational goals. This year, 539 schools were honored, almost a 15 percent increase over last year's honorees.

"Illinois has taken significant measures to ensure that all students have access to the education they deserve, and our increase in honoree schools is a shining example of this mission in action," said Governor JB Pritzker. "A completed financial aid application can unlock critical opportunities for students seeking higher education. Thank you to the educators, administrators, and families for helping make educational attainment a reality for all Illinois students."

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) is the application that determines eligibility for federal and most state and even institutional financial aid. The Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid (Alternative Application), available October 1 for the 2027-28 academic year, offers a way to apply for state financial aid for certain students who are not eligible for federal financial aid.

Illinois requires all public high school seniors to complete either the FAFSA or the Alternative Application as part of graduation requirements. High schools are expected to provide students and their families with the support or guidance necessary to comply with the requirement, including the opportunity to complete their application during school hours. For students who choose not to file an application, a parent or guardian can opt-out by completing a simple Financial Aid Application Nonparticipation Form.

ISAC offers numerous supports to help schools meet this requirement and assist their students. ISAC's statewide team of near-peer mentors, the ISACorps™, provides free one-on-one assistance as well as workshops to help students and families learn about the financial aid process and complete applications. High schools can sign up for ISAC's FAFSA Completion Initiative, a free service to help them identify students who have not filed a financial aid application. This information can then be used by district counselors to help reach students who might not be aware of resources available to make education after high school affordable, perhaps helping some decide to apply to college when they might not otherwise have done so.

The Class of 2026 Recognition of Excellence Honorees are recognized at one of four levels based on 2026-27 financial aid application completions.

Platinum > 95% Completion: 57 Schools

Gold > 85% Completion: 132 Schools

Silver > 75% Completion: 176 Schools

Bronze > 65% Completion: 174 Schools

Each of the 539 honorees will receive award banners from their local ISACorps member to display at their school. Visit our Recognition of Excellence Honorees page to view the full list of the Class of 2026 Recognition of Excellence high schools.

"Schools across Illinois are setting their students up for success by helping them complete a financial aid application," said ISAC Executive Director Eric Zarnikow. "We know that there are students and families that might not even consider college because they don't think they can pay for it. Completing a financial aid application gives them an opportunity to find out what aid might be available to make college possible. Thank you to these honoree schools for their outstanding efforts in helping students on their path to college and career."

ISAC's Financial Aid Application Completion Initiative will begin sharing Class of 2027 high school financial aid application completions in fall 2026. As students begin to complete their financial aid applications this fall for the 2027-28 academic year, we encourage high schools and community partners to take advantage of supports from ISAC in this year's Education Matters (formerly, College Changes Everything®) fall campaign by hosting one or more free college application and financial aid application completion workshops from now through Thanksgiving. Participating schools will receive a downloadable campaign toolkit, materials, swag, and event support from ISAC.

About ISAC

The mission of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) is to provide Illinois students with information and assistance to help make education beyond high school accessible and

affordable. ISAC provides comprehensive, objective, and timely information on education and financial aid for students and their families-giving them access to the tools they need to make the educational choices that are right for them. Then, through the state scholarship and grant programs ISAC administers, ISAC can help students make those choices a reality. Find us at isac.org or on Facebook (@ILStudentAssistance), X, and on Instagram @ISACfinaid and watch our videos on YouTube.